Press Release
November 22, 2021

Poe challenges DOTr to disburse budget faster in aid of economic recovery

Sen. Grace Poe proposed a budget of P120 billion for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) that is lower than the amount proposed under the General Appropriations Bill and the National Expenditure Program, with the expectation that the agency will be able to disburse the forthcoming 2022 budget faster.

The department budget defended by Poe will be used to fund six rail projects, 18 airports, 46 ports, eight road projects, and also includes salary adjustments for the agency's employees to comply with the salary standardization program as well as the hiring of more coast guards.

"The agency's low disbursement rate has always been a point of contention, but we cannot disregard the services that our countrymen need now more than ever as we recover together from the pandemic," said Poe.

The proposed budget is P1.5 billion lower than the amount proposed under the General Appropriations Bill and around P33 billion lower than the National Expenditure Program.

According to Poe, one of the key amendments to the budget is the inclusion of P10.83 billion to fund ongoing road projects such as service contracting for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers, active transport, PUV modernization, EDSA busway and terminal rehabilitation.

"The challenge lies in the DOTr to disburse the budget faster and make sure that it reaches those it intends to help," added Poe. (30)

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[FILIPINO TRANSLATION]

Poe sa DOTr: Pondo, ipamahagi agad para makabangon ang ekonomiya

Aabot sa P120 bilyong pondo ang ipinanukala ni Sen. Grace Poe para sa Department of Transportation (DOTr) na mas mababa kaysa sa halagang nakapaloob sa General Appropriations Bill at ng National Expenditure Program. Umaasa ang senadorang maipapamahagi ng ahensya ang 2022 budget nang mas mabilis.

Ang naturang budget na idinipensa ni Poe ay gagamitin para sa anim na rail project, 18 paliparan, 46 na pier, walong road project, at kasama rin ang salary adjustment ng mga empleyado ng ahensya para makatugon sa salary standardization program at pagkuha ng karagdagang tauhan sa coast guard.

"Ang mababang disbursement rate ng ahensya ay palagi na lamang pinagtatalunan, pero hindi natin maipagsasawalang-bahala ang pagbibigay serbisyo sa ating mga kabababayan ngayon higit kailanman habang nagsusumikap tayong bumangon mula sa pandemya," ayon kay Poe.

Ang panukalang budget ay mas mababa ng P1.5 bilyon kaysa sa nasa ilalim ng General Appropriations Bill at mas mababa naman ng P33 bilyon sa panukalang National Expenditure Program.

Sinabi ni Poe na isa sa pangunahing inamiyendahan sa budget ay ang paglalaan ng P10.83 bilyon para pondohan ang kasalukuyang mga road project katulad ng service contracting ng mga tsuper ng pampublikong sasakyan, active transport, modernisasyon ng mga pampublikong sasakyan, EDSA busway at rehabilitasyon ng mga terminal.

"Ang hamon ngayon ay nasa kamay ng DOTr na magamit ang pondo nang mas mabilis at matiyak na makarating ito sa mga dapat nitong matulungan," dagdag ni Poe.

For reference:

Grace Poe's opening statement transcript
DOTr budget deliberations
Nov. 22, 2021

Poe: It is my duty to present to the body the budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies. For the record, the Senate committee on finance's recommended budget for DOTr, its attached agencies and corporations is P120,006,196,000. This is P1.5 billion lower than the amount proposed under the General Appropriations Bill and more than P33 billion lower than the National Expenditure Program. It is broken down among the various DOTr offices as follows: Office of the Secretary, P92.7 billion; Civil Aeronautics Board, P216.2 million; Maritime Industry Authority, P909.2 million; Office of Transportation Cooperatives, P33.1 million; Office of Transportation Security, P312.8 million; Philippine Coast Guard, P21.1 billion; Toll Regulatory Board, P34 million; Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, P2.4 billion; Light Rail Transit Authority, P1 billion; and Philippine National Railways, P1.2 billion.

The budget will fund the various priority infrastructure projects: Six rail projects, 18 airports, 46 ports and eight road projects. The key amendments are as follows, this was introduced by the committee which includes funding for P10.83 billion to continue the ongoing road projects such as service contracting, active transport, PUV modernization, EDSA busway, terminal rehabilitation and a critical tourist hub and to pay off our contractual obligations in the PITX terminal; P439 million for additional subsidy to CAAP to help tide them over the pandemic and P1 billion for the Bukidnon airport.

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